Kenji Yanagiya

Infobox Military Person
name= Kenji Yanagiya
born= March 1919
died= February 29 2008
placeofbirth= Hokkaidō, Japan
placeofdeath= Tokyo, Japan


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= Imperial Japanese Navy
serviceyears= 1940-1945
rank= Warrant Officer
unit= Kisarazu Naval Air Force, the 6th Naval Air Group, the 204th Naval Air Group
commands=
battles=World War II
awards=
laterwork=

Warrant Officer Kenji Yanagiya (March 1919 - February 29, 2008) was one of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Zero fighter aces who fought the Battle of Solomon Islands in October 1942 – June 1943. He is known to the postwar as the only escort fighter pilot of the Yamamoto mission, who survived the war.

He was born at Hokkaidō, Japan. He moved with his family at his age of two and grew up at Tomarioru prairie in Karafuto(Sakhalin). He enlisted in the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) at January 10th, 1940 as an aircraft mechanic, then selected as a Hei-shu Hiko Yoka Renshu Sei (C-class Flight Reserve Trainee) in April 1941. This C-class "Yokaren" course was for seamen and naval non-commissioned officers already in the navy. He completed a pilot training course in March 1942. He then became a Flyer / 1st Class fighter pilot of 'The 6th Air Group' at IJN Kisarazu Air Base, Japan. He arrived Fortress Rabaul on October 7th, 1942 as a member of 'The 6th Air Group', which was under the command of The 26th Air Flotilla in South East Division Air Fleet (including the 11th Air Fleet). The 6th Air Group was soon renamed as The 204th Air Group on November 1st, 1942. He was one of the escort fighter pilots of the Yamamoto's visit IJN Ballale Base on April 18, 1943. He was injured and lost his right hand on a subsequent mission to Russell Islands, near Guadalcanal, in June 1943. He returned to homeland Japan in June 1943.

Yanagiya’s Reminiscences about April 18, 1943

"Fall in!" "At ease."

"We had an outline of our escort mission in the briefing from Lieutenant (JG) Morisaki, 24 years old Midway Sōryū veteran, at East airfield (Lakunai airfield), Rabaul. Both G4M1s "Type 1 land-based attack aircraft" of Imperial Japanese Navy Grand Fleet Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's and that of Chief of staff's (IJN Grand Fleet Chief of staff Matome Ugaki's) were to take off from West airfield, Rabaul."

Notes

References

Books

*cite book
last = Yoshimura
first = Akira
authorlink =
month = March | year = 1976
chapter = Kaigun Kō Jiken (Navy kō incident)
title = Monthly Magazine Bungei Shunju, the 135th issue
publisher = Bungei Shunju
location = Tokyo, Japan
id = - text in Japanese.
*cite book
last = Yoshimura
first = Akira
authorlink =
month = June | year = 2007
chapter = Kaigun Kō Jiken (Navy Kō incident, reprinted version)
title = Kaigun Otsu Jiken, Bunshun Bunko series, (paper backs)
publisher = Bungei Shunju
location = Tokyo, Japan
id = ISBN 978-4-16-716945-9 - text in Japanese, few images.
*cite book
last = Ugaki
first = Hiromitsu
date = November 1, 1952
chapter = Yamamoto Gensui no Senshi (The death in action of Admiral Yamamoto), p.291 - p.299
title = Sen So Roku (The Wartime Diary of Matome Ugaki), First Volume
publisher = Nippon Shuppan Kyodo
location = Tokyo, Japan
id = - text in Japanese, few images.
*cite book
last = Koudachi
first = Naoki
year = Dec.4, 2006
chapter = Chapter 9, Kumo ni shimiru Sikabane, Yamamoto Chokan no Zensen Sisatsu (The Death in the Air, The Admiral Yamamoto's Inspection on the Frontline)
title = Zerosen Taicho, 204 Ku Hiko Taicho Miyano Zenjiro no Shogai (Zero Fighter 204 A.G. Squadron Leader, Zenjiro Miyano)
publisher = Kojin Sha
location = Tokyo, Japan
id = ISBN 4-7698-1326-0 - text in Japanese, a few images.
*cite book
last = National Institute for Defense Studies(NIDS) War History Section
first =
year = Nov. 1970 - March 1976
chapter = Daihonei Kaigun Bu, Rengo Kantai No.1 - No.7
title = Senshi Sousho
publisher = Asagumo Newspaper
location = Tokyo, Japan
id = ISBN - text in Japanese.
*cite book
last = Nishizawa
first = Naoaki
year = Apr. 2, 2002
chapter = Tragedy of April 18 1943
title = Jitsuroku Nichibei Dai-kokusen(Document report of the Great Air Cobat between Japan vs. U.S.)
publisher = Tachikaze shobo
location = Tokyo, Japan
id = ISBN 4-651-00950 - text in Japanese, with images.
*cite book
last = Onda
first = Shigetaka
year = Nov. 25, 1988
chapter = Chapter 4 Every Corner, p.215 - p.230
title = Tokko (Kamikaze)
publisher = Kodan Sha
location = Tokyo, Japan
id = ISBN 4-06-204181-2 - text in Japanese, no images.
*cite book
last = The 204th Air Group Fighter Pilots Association
first =
authorlink =
date = March 10 1987
chapter = Meian wo waketa 4.18 (The April 18th), p.177 - p.199
title = Rabaul Kuhsen Ki (The Battle of the Air Rabaul), air combat series, (paper backs)
publisher = Asahi Sonorama
location = Tokyo, Japan
id = ISBN 4-257-17082-4 - reprinted in paper backs of the first printed in June, 1976; text in Japanese, few images.
*cite book
last = Tsunoda
first = Kazuo
authorlink =
date = March 17, 2003
chapter = Chapter 3, Rabaul - Shito no Tsubasa (Wings to the Death, P-38 and the Admiral Yamamoto)
title = Shura no Tsubasa (The Bloody Gardian Angel, Asura's Wings)
publisher = Kohjin-sha
location = Tokyo
id = ISBN 4-7698-1041-5 - reprinted version, text in Japanese, a few images.----
*cite book
last = Norman L. R.
first = Franks
coauthors= Bailey, Frank W.
month = May | year = 1992
chapter =
title = Over the Front: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the United States and French Air Services, 1914-1918
publisher = Grub Street the Basement
location = London, Great Britain
id = ISBN -13: 978-0948817540
*cite book
last = Sakaida
first = Henry
year = 1998
chapter = NEW GUINIA, RABAUL AND THE SOLOMONS, Warrant Officer Kenji Yanagiya p.44 - p.45
title = Imperial Japanese Navy Aces 1937-45
publisher = Ospray
location = London, Great Britain
id = ISBN 1-85532-727-9
*cite book
last = Shores
first = Christopher
coauthors= Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell
year = Jan. 1991
chapter =
title = Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces, 1915-1920
publisher = Grub Street the Basement
location = London, Great Britain
id = ISBN -13: 978-0948817199
*cite book
last = Stanaway
first = John
year = 1997
chapter = THE YAMAMOTO MISSION, p.14 - p.17
title = P-38 Lightning Aces of the Pacific and CBI
publisher = Ospray
location = London, Great Britain
id = ISBN 1-85532-633-7
*cite book
last = Tagaya
first = Osamu
year = 1988
chapter = RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING, P.10, P.12
title = Warrior 55, Imperial Japanese Naval Aviator 1937-45
publisher = Ospray
location = United Kingdom
id = ISBN 1-84176-385-3
*cite book
last = Thomas
first = Andrew
date = March 27, 2007
chapter = APPENDICES, Royal Navy Aces
title = Royal Navy Aces of World War 2
publisher = Ospray
location = United Kingdom
id = ISBN -13: 978-1846031786

External links